Tricks and Treats Blog Hop!

What you will find are tried and true tips, tricks of the trade, hints to help you.
Teacher's Tricks!

So, here's your Trick from me!

Just a tip from someone that has taught for 30+ years---In your classroom have a Go-to-Game. This is something you can use during the last minutes of the day, when you have five minutes to fill, or when your class needs a reward.

My game is called "Silent Toss".

We use a rubber band ball I purchased many, many years ago.

You can also use a small foam ball.

It's very simple. Everyone stands and the ball is tossed from kid to kid. The rules are: You may not talk except for saying the name of the person to whom you are throwing the ball. You must say the name before you throw the ball. You must toss underhanded and the toss must be catch-able. If you break a rule or don't catch the ball you are out. If you talk, you are out. If you make a bad throw you are out. When someone is out kids are expected to say, "Nice try!" (We don't laugh at someone that is out and we celebrate great catches!)

Easy enough, right? Well, after a couple of minutes I add a new rule. I say, "Stop, put one hand behind your back. You can now only throw with one hand and catch with that hand and your body." The game continues!

After a couple of minutes I add a new rule- now you can only catch with one hand, no using your body.

Other rules we add as the game goes on:

When the ball comes to you you must bounce it into the air once and then catch it with one hand.

Next is the same thing but with two bounces.

If we need another rule added we try bounce it up in the air and twirl around one time and catch the ball. Eventually, we have a winner. There is never a prize- just the fun of being the winner!

You can add your own creative flair to this.

Kids love it! I almost always use it as a reward after we have worked hard for a week or so. I promise I have kids see me years after being in my class and they will ask if I still play that rubber band ball game!

Ready for your Treat!

In honor of my many TpT customers and followers of this blog let's have an October celebration!
I have seen the follower numbers and feedback numbers climb steadily. I am amazed to see over 500 TpT followers, over 1000 TpT feedbacks, and over 400 followers of this blog. You guys deserve something FREE, right!

How about a CANDY EXPERIMENT??

I just completed an experiment extravaganza in my classroom using Gobstoppers and other hard-shelled candy.

This experiment with several pages of step-by-step procedures, helpful hints, and photos is available in my TpT store.

Your treat is that it is freejust for today (October 3)!If you missed this awesome treat keep reading.

I would just love it so much if you could leave some feedback about the package! We had tons of fun with the experiments- which includes designing your own candy experiment with ideas generated from class discussion! Enjoy!

BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE!

Every Friday for this month of October another treat awaits you. You will need to visit the homepage of my store to find out what it is! Just click on the Banner when you get there and you will go straight to the free product! Thank you so much for visiting my blog and my store!

Thanks for joining our Blog Hop- check out the other bloggers and see what Tricks and Treats await you!

Don't you just love it when kids can have fun and enjoy a game just for the fun of playing it? Sounds like you have taught many just how to do that with your rubber band ball! I am off to check out your treat. It looks so fun! Thanks!

Love how you add something to the game each time, one handed, use your body, don't use your body. I can see how kids will LOVE that. My go-to game was always 4 corners. Can't wait to do the candy experiments with my kiddos! Thanks for sharing!Joya-liveloveserveteach

Thanks so much Stephanie! It would be a great game for inside recess! My students ask to play it all the time even now- when we have even one minute left in lab time they want to play the rubber band ball game! Thanks for visiting!Carol